October 17th, Natalia Villafan ‘25 interviewed Kai Herbst ‘25 regarding his student playlist, which consisted of various kinds of rock music.

THURSDAY 8:50 AM OCTOBER 17, 2024

NATALIA VILLAFAN: I noticed that looking at your playlist you mainly have alternative rock and generally very melodic songs, is that mostly what you listen to?

KAI HERBST: Yeah, kind of. I listen to a lot of different genres, but I tried to make the playlist cohesive. But yeah, right now, that’s mainly what I listen to.

VILLAFAN: What got you interested in that genre?

HERBST: I really don’t know… I use Apple Music and I was looking at the playlists I have when I realized that I was kind of bored of everything. This is when I was playing beach volleyball and stuff, so I was wondering “What goes with beach volleyball?” I just put on this surf rock playlist, and that’s what put me on Sublime and Incubus and I was like “Woah! I really like this!”

VILLAFAN: Oh yea, when I saw you had Sublime on [your playlist] I thought you really had taste. You also have a lot of recent songs on your playlist, from the past seven-eight years, but you do have Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus that are ‘older’ bands. What kind of rock do you prefer?

HERBST: Honestly, older. The kind of rock just sounds better to me, especially with the new stuff sounding very overproduced. I got a lot of hot takes for this but… Childish Gambino’s new album (Bando Stone and the New World).

VILLAFAN: [Gasp] Really?

HERBST: Yea, I listened to some of the songs, and I know that it’s his new style and all, but I guess I just prefer his older stuff. Not just him, I prefer older music anyways.

VILLAFAN: Is there anything older rock bands that you think newer bands could incorporate into their music? Anything they can take a lesson from or something that’s been lost overtime?

HERBST: Honestly, the one thing that I kind of see that I have noticed is that the older rock bands actually play their instruments.

Newer bands just don’t play as much, and if they do it’s just to fit their lyrics

–which is kind of what Steve Lacy does sometimes. I was trying to play one of his songs on the guitar and I was like “What the–?” I was trying to switch the cord and I couldn’t even do that.

VILLAFAN: You had a couple Red Hot Chili Peppers songs, are they one of your favorites? Who are your favorite rock bands?

HERBST: It would probably have to be Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime. My friends and I got into a debate about that one, Todd and Mateo. We were arguing about it, Mateo agrees with me, Red Hot Chili Peppers is better. 

VILLAFAN: Ohh, what makes you think that they’re better?

HERBST: Well, Todd thinks that Sublime has all the good songs. Mateo thinks that Sublime has good songs, but they’re not all that great, while Red Hot Chili Peppers has all the best.

VILLAFAN: Like a better discography overall?

HERBST: Yes. I think that most of their songs are better anyways too.

VILLAFAN: Are there any current rock bands that you like? That you think are ‘doing it right’?

HERBST: I can’t think of any off the top of my head–I don’t listen to current music much. Do you have any examples?

VILLAFAN: Oh putting me on the spot! I don’t know, I also can’t think of anything. With rock I mainly listen to stuff like Weezer and The Strokes.

HERBST: Oh yea! The Strokes are pretty good.

VILLAFAN: They’re one of my favorites.

HERBST: And then, I’d say Weezer is doing good. 

VILLAFAN: Do you think there gets to a point when old rock bands just need to stop making music? 

HERBST: Yeah, I feel like some bands are just trying to make more money and conform with the current trends. I feel like if they just stuck with making their old music, things would be better. I don’t know if you’re a Panic at the Disco listener…

VILLAFAN: Oh yup, that’s what makes me ask the question.

HERBST: Yea, I’ve had one of their songs on my playlist, and their most recent album [Viva Las Vengeance] kinda was bad. I prefer their older albums like Pretty. Odd. and… I’m blanking on the name. The red one.

VILLAFAN: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out?

HERBST: Yea! [Laughs] I was listening to it this morning, I can’t believe I didn’t remember the name.

VILLAFAN: My younger sister, I’ve heard her listening to newer Panic albums, like Death of a Bachelor, and that’s what she thinks is peak Panic… She’s eight! I need to culture her.

HERBST: Yeah, listen to their older stuff!

VILLAFAN: What are three words you’d use to describe your taste overall? This is beyond rock music–your taste in general.

HERBST: I would say relaxed… It’s kinda hard to describe them. Groovy, I guess?

VILLAFAN: Groovy is good! Looking at your playlist, I’d agree with that.

HERBST: And then…stimulating.

VILLAFAN: Stimulating? When do you listen to music most, do you listen often–

HERBST:

Oh, all the time! If you see me walking in the hallways, I have my headphones in. Even in class, a lot of the time I’m listening to music, too. Probably when I shouldn’t be, but who cares?

VILLAFAN: That’s real, though.

HERBST: I get all my work done, so…

VILLAFAN: What are your top three songs that you included in your playlist?

HERBST: My first would be…

(Elora Thornburg and Brady Arnold exit C226)

ELORA THORNBURG: Brady and I are gonna go do journalism things.

VILLAFAN: I’m adding that into the interview.

HERBST: [Laughs] “Doing journalism things…”

(Campbell opens the door to C226)

HERBST: My first one would probably be–

CAMPBELL: [Random Yell]

(Door to C226 closes)

HERBST: –uh. My first one would be “PCH”… and the second is pretty close between “Under the Bridge” and “Be the Same” by Mako Road. I wanted to add more Mako Road, but I kinda couldn’t.

VILLAFAN: It’s hard when you’re limited to twelve songs. I’m nervous about doing mine.

HERBST: Dude, it’s bad. I made this different playlist yesterday and it’s just all the songs I listen to. [Scrolls through playlist]

VILLAFAN: Oh! Did I see Jack Johnson on there?

HERBST: Yes you did! The playlist is three hours long.

VILLAFAN: [Laughs] That’s so real. I’m trying to reorganize all my playlists by genre because I had one playlist that was over…forty eight hours long.

HERBST: Yikes!

VILLAFAN: Yeah, I kinda need to–

HERBST: Trim it down a little! [Laughs]

VILLAFAN: Yea! I can’t go from Sublime to Megan Thee Stallion to the La La Land Score or some other sad movie soundtrack!

HERBST: [Laughs] I can’t listen to this right now, not today.

VILLAFAN: If you could recommend one song from your playlist, what song would it be?

HERBST: Probably “Disco Nights” or “Be The Same” by Mako Road. “Disco Nights” is–from my knowledge–kinda underground. And Mako Road, I don’t think I’ve met anybody who has listened to their music before.

VILLAFAN: I had! I was very excited to see that on [your playlist].

HERBST: Yes! [Laughs]

VILLAFAN: I was really excited, I love seeing artists I recognize on these playlists. I’m identifying who has taste.

HERBST: Yea, I bet!

VILLAFAN: Do you focus on lyrics when it comes to the music you listen to? Or are you more of an instrumental person?

HERBST: Oh, I’m definitely a lyric person, but if the song is that good then also the instrumentals. ‘Cause some of these songs are good, but they don’t have the greatest lyrics. Like the last song that I put on, “Chaparral,” at the start of the song it says “Is that a Jack Johnson song or is it just a riff,” [Laughs] which always makes me chuckle when I listen to it. That’s why I put it as the last song, just to make me laugh before I start listening to the auto fill music.

VILLAFAN: Yea, I agree. When it comes to older rock and 90s music, you have to be a lyric person because like–no one knows how to play their instruments, the lead singer can’t sing [Laughs]

HERBST: [Laughs] Yeah!

VILLAFAN: But with the lyrics, it all comes together.

HERBST: Yeah, somehow it works together! On the sound side of it, I like “Sadie, KT-22” because that song has a great rhythm. Yea, I really like that one.

VILLAFAN: One of the notes I took on your playlist was that the songs you’ve chosen are very melodic, there’s pattern and a pacing to the way they sing. It’s not just over a beat. Do you think you’re good at memorizing lyrics? Are you the type to sing along?

HERBST: Yea, I definitely am. This year I’m taking guitar class–

VILLAFAN: Have you played instruments before?

HERBST: No, this is my first year playing an instrument. I started playing in… I think July.

VILLAFAN: That’s exciting!

HERBST: Yeah! So I’ve been trying to learn the lyrics to these songs so it’s easier for me to memorize all the fingerings and the chords.

VILLAFAN: To end off the interview, would you like to guess the lyric?

HERBST: Sure!

VILLAFAN: So, I’ll give you a lyric from one of the songs on your playlist–finish the lyric and guess what song it’s from. “In the water where I center my emotion / All the world can pass me by” …

HERBST: I don’t know! Can I look at the songs at least?

VILLAFAN: Yeah, you can look at the songs!

HERBST: Can you repeat it?

VILLAFAN: “In the water where I center my emotion / All the world can pass me by”

HERBST: I think that’s “Under the Bridge”… is it?

VILLAFAN: [Shakes Head]

HERBST: No? No!

VILLAFAN: It is Red Hot Chili Peppers though, I’ll tell you that.

HERBST: What? What was it? Is it on my playlist?

VILLAFAN: Yes it is, why would I give you a song that’s not on your playlist? That’s so evil.

HERBST: Because if it’s Red Hot Chili Peppers, it’s the only one I have on my playlist.

VILLAFAN: Is it? What am I looking at then? It’s here on the Spotify playlist.

HERBST: Oh, I think I changed it. What was the song? 

VILLAFAN: “The Zephyr Song.”

HERBST: Oh! Yea, I switched it! Give me another one!

VILLAFAN: Alright, let me make sure it’s on your playlist, I feel bad! … Yea it is! Okay so you have no excuse for this one, you gotta get this one!

HERBST: Yes, I do! Yes, I do!

VILLAFAN: Hold on my hands, sweet darling / We can get away .

HERBST: [Immediately] Oh, “Song from Hell”!

VILLAFAN: Yup, that’s it! That’s all I’ve got for you, thank you!

HERBST: Yeah! This was fun, thanks!

The Songs Kai Herbst  included in his playlist are (even if he doesn’t remember it);

1. Incubus’ “Warning,” off Morning View, 2001.
2. Ashes to Amber’s “Sadie, KT-22,” 2019.
3. Peach Tree Rascals’ “Song From Hell,” off Does A Fish Know It’s Wet?, 2022.
4. Mako Road’s “Be The Same,” off Local Safari, 2018.
5. Dominic Fike’s “Ant Pile,” off Sunburn, 2023.
6. Blue Rain Boots’ “Oh My God You Are Fine,” off Oh My God You Are Fine, 2018.
7. Wiley Beckett’s “Disco Nights,” off Disco Nights, 2022.
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “The Zephyr Song,” off By the Way, 2002.
9. Sublime’s “PCH,” off Yours Truly 2011.
10. Panic! At the Disco’s “Stall Me” off Vices and Virtues, 2011.
11. Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” off Funky Monks, 1991.
12. The Moss’ “Chaparral” off Insomnia EP, 2023.